Local military news
Cant wait til you're home...

USS Boxer Sailors and Marines man the rails and salute as the ship passes the Battleship Missouri and the USS Arizona Memorials while pulling in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Photo by MC3 Zachary D. Behrend.

Aerial Oath on USS Boxer ....

PACIFIC OCEAN (Nov. 7, 2019) Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Royal, from Live Oak, Fla., right, reenlists Yeoman 2nd Class Hannah McGlumphry, from Indianola, Iowa., both assigned to amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) while riding in a MH-60S Sea Hawk, attached to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21. The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to support regional stability, reassure partners and allies, and maintain a presence to respond to any crisis ranging from humanitarian assistance to contingency operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jessica Ann Hattell.

Seal Beach again picked as Best Small Navy Installation in the Southwest
11/14/2019
by Gregg Smith, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach Public Affairs
SEAL BEACH, Calif. (NNS) -- For the third time in four years, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach has been selected as the winner of the Commander, Navy Region Southwest Installation Excellence Award for Small Installations.
The award recognizes bases for superior support to the fleet, cost savings, and innovative improvements to facilities, quality of life, safety, and environmental sustainability.
“Competition this year was tough, and all of our bases have had some truly outstanding accomplishments,” said the Commander of Navy Region Southwest, Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar.
“However, the exceptional work by the Seal Beach team really stood out.”
In recent years base personnel have led efforts to curb the use of energy and water, build a new ammunition pier, upgrade the gym and family housing units, and improve the safety and security of base operations.
“It is a true honor and privilege to be a part of this great organization, and we would not have been selected for this recognition without everyone’s hard work and dedication," said weapons station Commanding Officer Capt. Jason Sherman. "Our efforts at constant improvement, collaboration and teamwork have really paid off, and I’m looking forward to seeing how we fare at the national level."
The weapons station will next represent the Southwest region in the competition for the best small installation Navy-wide. That contest is scheduled to be decided by January 2020.
In 2012 and 2016 the base and its two detachments in Fallbrook and Norco, Calif. went on to win honors as the best small installation in the U.S. Navy.
Commencing operations in 1944 as a Naval Ammunition and Net Depot, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach provides munitions to a majority of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

NMCSD achieves meritorious status in quality metrics
11/12/2019
by MCSN Luke Cunningham,
Naval Medical Center San Diego Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvements Program (NSQIP) recently recognized Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) for meritorious outcomes in several categories throughout calendar year 2018.
ACS NSQIP is a data-driven, risk-adjusted, outcome-based program whose goal is to improve the quality of surgical care. It provides a facility-based assessment of surgical outcomes, with actionable information and data for targeting improvements. Read more...




National military news
Truman repaired, prepares to return to sea to relieve Lincoln
11/12/2019
From U.S. Fleet Forces Command Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) (NNS) -- Repairs to USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) are complete, and all efforts are being made to return the carrier and air wing to sea to conduct operations.
In August, the Navy announced an emergent maintenance requirement for an electrical issue aboard Truman. The Navy replaced damaged components and completed tests to ensure no further issues will arise. An engineering analysis, coupled with inspections aboard several aircraft carriers, show that this was a localized issue and not a class-wide concern. The success of this repair was due to the outstanding efforts of multiple Navy organizations and industry partners who quickly brought their expertise and skills to bear to resolve this issue.
“Returning HST to full functionality was a team effort with a tremendous amount of work and collaboration by NAVSEA, our industry partners, shipyard workers and the crew of HST to overcome a very challenging technical issue,” said Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, Vice Admiral Thomas Moore.
Every effort is being made to make the carrier, air wing and Sailors operationally ready to deploy.

Admiral: Carrier Lincoln’s Middle East mission will be extended
U.S. NAVAL INSTITUTE - The Lincoln Carrier Strike Group will remain on station in the Middle East while its relief carrier is still undergoing unexpected repairs on the East Coast, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Robert Burke said.“She’s just over eight months right now because, as always, the world gets a vote,” he said during the Military Reporters and Editors conference on Oct. 25.“Every sailor knows the world gets a vote, and we’re going to stay and do the job until they’re properly relieved.”As of last Thursday, USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) was operating in the North Arabian Sea. While the Navy is planning for the carrier to be extended, it’s unclear if Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has signed the order to formally extend the deployment.A Pentagon spokesperson did not have any additional details when contacted by USNI News on Friday.
Marines offer up to $90K in bonuses for reenlistments
The Marine Corps is offering up to $90,000 in retention bonuses for high-demand career fields, including Raiders, reconnaissance and explosive ordnance disposal, as it seeks to retain young Marines with key skills.
The selective reenlistment bonuses for FY 2020 include incentives for aviation maintenance, air traffic controllers, infantry squad leaders and Marines willing to make a lateral move to select specialties such as intelligence and cyberdefense, a command bulletin issued Friday said.
“Retaining our experienced and qualified Marines remains one of the Commandant’s highest priorities,” it said. “Achieving retention goals is vital for shaping and sustaining the Marine Corps’ enlisted force.”
Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said in a letter last October that the Corps needed to recruit 38,500 new members to fill gaps in the ranks.





United Through Reading®
Deploying? Service members invited to record stories for family at San Diego USO
United Through Reading® is a program helping ease the stress of separation for military families by having deploying or deployed service members read children’s books aloud via DVD for their family to watch at home. This powerful program is available to all military units. It provides service members a chance to make lasting connections from afar. The DVD recording and the book are mailed to the child and family back home.
Service members who are leaving for training can also take part in this program. Being a parent is not required; service members can send the DVD & book(s) to any special child in their life such as younger sister or brother, niece, nephew or godchild.
On the day of the recording, service members are encouraged to dress in the attire they will be wearing while deployed/training, but this is not required. The room is private, so any special message, or those fun reading voices, will only be heard by the recipient of the DVD recording. USO San Diego has books available, or service members can bring their own. Our volunteers will help set up the camera and then leave the room. The DVD can hold a 30 minute recording.
Please e-mail USO San Diego Staff Member Nichole Duarte at utr@usosandiego.org to make your appointment. This program is offered at both USO San Diego centers.